Maccheroni Republic — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I picked this restaurant for our group before the Pink Marrini concert tonight. Didn't know them before hands, just googled and couldn't wait to experience...

Cocktails: very creative with different mixes and very good. We had Passione and Watermelon Ciao. Very refreshing for a warm summer night.

Food: Calamari In Zimino: so delicious, smoky and so tender, melting in your mouth. Love the way they cook the Swiss chard. The whole dish has so much flavors but not overwhelming and tastes umami.

Cesare salad: very different than a conventional Caesar salad, well balanced of acidity and fat, great flavors and refreshing. Liked the very crunchy ciabatta crumbs, very nice touch and texture.

Bigoli Della Nonna: delicious, rich in flavors but not overwhelming. Liked the texture of little meat chunks in stead of traditional ground beef. Can't beat the homemade Venetian Spaghetti.

Bianchi & Neri: I asked for Bianchi pasta only. The dish was very good but not a WOW factor as reviews said. I could add some fermented black garlic bits or thin garlic slices. Pancetta bits could be abit bigger to be noticeable in appearance and bites.

Frutti di Mare: I got a taste from my friend, thought it was my favorite. Well balanced of flavors and taste, seafood seemed very fresh, Pomodoro was bright but not acidic and had a natural tomato sweetness.

Lasagna: got a tiny bite from another friend, it was very delicious and got so much flavors.

The service was very good. Staff picked up soiled plates tentatively, and food came out promptly.

There is a parking structure right next to the restaurant, $22 for 1-10hrs but you get $6 off after validated by the restaurant. Or you can park a block away on Broadway for $10.

Overall, we really enjoyed our dinner. Food is delicious overall. Pricing is very reasonable compared to everything is high everywhere now and also for homemade pastas, and in LA too... much appreciated for the...

It’s rare to find a restaurant where the food, service, and atmosphere are all equally on point. Stepping into this oasis downtown feels like walking into a trattoria in Italy — such a treat. We’ll definitely be back the next time we’re in LA.

Tips:

They don’t take reservations, so plan to come early. We arrived at 5:30 PM on a Saturday, and it was already quite busy. We waited about 25 minutes, but it was part of the experience — while waiting, you can watch fresh pasta being made through the large glass windows of the building behind the restaurant. There’s also a peaceful water feature and some benches where you can relax.

Service:

The hospitality here is wonderful. We were warmly greeted and waited on by someone who I believe is the (or of the) owners — a charming Italian gentleman who made us feel like family. He walked us through the menu, offered thoughtful recommendations, and was clearly beloved by many regulars dining that night.

Food:

Starters: We had the garlic ciabatta, scampi alla busara, and a Caesar greens salad. The garlic bread was rich with real garlic and butter — dangerously good! The scampi in tomato sauce was absolutely delectable.

Entrées: We ordered the bianchi & neri, bigoli della nonna, and tortelloni burro salvia. Each was excellent, but the bianchi & neri really stood out — the cream sauce is unique, rich, and completely addictive. It’s the signature dish for good reason.

Dessert: We finished with the olive cake, which was among the best I’ve ever had. It came with two berry sauces. Not overly sweet — just complex, fragrant, and perfectly balanced.

Overall, an unforgettable dining experience. If you’re in LA and love Italian food,...

We ordered two pastas and one appetizer. The appetizer showed up about 20 minutes after we arrived, but the pastas never came. After waiting another 25 minutes (roughly 45 minutes total), we noticed other tables - who had arrived later - were already eating. When we asked about our order, the manager came over. I told him "We've been waiting about 40 minutes for pastas. What shocked me most was when the manager actually said to me, “I don’t believe you.” He looked at us condescendingly and walked away. I couldn’t believe what I just heard—never in my life have I had a restaurant respond like that, especially for the food that I am supposed to pay and waited over 40 minutes for my food.

A moment later, he returned with our food - cold, soggy pasta that was completely inedible. We each took one bite and couldn’t eat any more. To make things worse, he came back with “time stamps” written down, trying to argue that our food wasn’t late. Not only were the time stamps incorrect, but he never once apologized for the delay or for serving us cold food.

We just paid and left because we didn’t want to spend another second there. No apology, no accountability—absolutely terrible service.

I’ve been to many of the top Italian restaurants in LA, and as other reviews also point out (terrible pasta), the food here is far from impressive. Authentic, quality Italian restaurants never receive reviews like this. Don't waste your money. With so many great options around, I strongly recommend going elsewhere. Go to Grand Central Market instead - across the street. Or Cento Pasta bar (hard to...